Book Fair News - a chance to catch up on the news around the book fairs.

20.12.10. Well, I'm done for another year. The 2011 calendar you will find here is the tenth we've put together since 2001, and I have every confidence that it will be the most comprehensive we've produced.
     Readers were still a bit reluctant to review the fairs they visited in 2010, but this does appear to be changing - a trend I hope will continue in the coming year. I'm constantly being told how useful people find the bookshop reviews, so it remains something of a mystery why fair visitors don't feel the same. So come on; send us your personal observations and help turn a rather arid list into a truly useful guide! Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the festive season, and I'll be back in the office on January 3rd.
     If you are looking for a little book-related light relief over the holidays, Bookworm Droppings could raise a smile, and my Shelf : Life blog might fill an idle moment.  Add a comment

17.12.10. John Collins writes: "I am pleased to inform all our customers that the Faversham Book Fair will go ahead this Saturday. The weather down here is sunny and we don't expect any snow in the next 24 hours. There is also a Christmas Fair and Fashion Show in the other hall, and of course it's Market Day in the Town."  Add a comment

15.12.10. Apologies, when clicking on the Etc Fair ad you were seeing last years date, but it should of course, be January 2nd. Fixed now.  Add a comment

13.12.10. The weather for the coming weekend looks as if it could be challenging again, so please let us know in good time if you have to cancel or postpone an event.  Add a comment

06.12.10. Steve Marshall's Tunbridge Wells Book Fair was the only cancellation I was told about at the weekend, but a number of exhibitors were unable to make it to Churchdown. Still, everyone seemed in good humour, and I managed to buy one or two things.
    As the weather continues to threaten ice and snow for the coming weekend, please do let us know of any further cancellations.  Add a comment

02.12.10. Steve Marshall says that he had no choice but to cancel the Tunbridge Wells Book Fair on December 4th because of the weather conditions there. And, given the weather generally, I would strongly advise checking with the organisers before traveling to any fairs this weekend.  Add a comment

28.11.10. I've just put up our Provisional 2011 Calendar. We are still waiting for some organisers to confirm their dates, and lots of smaller one-off fairs are not usually confirmed until nearer the time. However, if you visit, or exhibit at a fair that you think should be listed there, please contact us.  Add a comment

23.11.10. After the surprise cancellation of last month's Winchester Book Fair, organiser Jeremy LeLean has confirm the the December 4th fair is to take place as usual.  Add a comment

22.11.10 The Penarth Petanque Club are staging their first book fair in Penarth on December 11th. The organisers say that there will be "Antiquarian, collectible and secondhand quality books offered by professional dealers from Wales and the Midlands".  Add a comment

15.11.10 North Devon based literacy charity BookRelief UK will be holding a one-day pre-Christmas book fair in Barnstaple on Saturday 4th December. Organiser Barry Evetts says "there will be a wide selection of second-hand books - from antiquarian and folio editions to children's books - with plenty of non-fiction titles on a wide variety of subjects - and stacks of fiction titles in both hardback and paperback - all at very reasonable prices."  Add a comment

11.11.10 Nancy says that Saturday's Shaftesbury Book Fair has some great arts, architecture, military, and natural history books, as well as interesting older material. In particular, there will be some signed Hilaire Belloc and a harder to find Hogarth first edition Vita Sackville-West "Passenger to Teheran".  Add a comment

10.11.10. Book bargains feature alongside the usual menu of delicious cakes, hot drinks and homemade lunches at Snowshill Manor Restaurant this weekend. Staff and volunteers are busy putting the finishing touches to their two-day secondhand book sale which will take over half of the restaurant ... more  Add a comment

07.11.10. Bookdealer suspends publication for the next three months ... more  Add a comment

04.11.10. A very late heads up for Wye Book Fair on November 6th, which will have 10 or so dealers from the south east selling a broad range of books, including local history, first editions, postcards and ephemera.  Add a comment

01.11.10. A reminder to fair organisers that the earlier you can send us your 2011 dates, the sooner readers will be able to organise their busy lives to include visiting your event.  Add a comment

01.11.10. Janet Slack is holding the second J & M Book Fair in Callington, Cornwall on November 27th. Expect to find a wide range of antiquarian, secondhand and new books, including children's titles and some specialist books. Ian Marr will be availiable for book valuations.

27.10.10. With 25 stalls this Saturday's New Forest Book Fair is one of the largest at this venue, and as always, admission is free. The books will range from light reading to collectables on all subjects, including a first edition "Tarka", some intriguing signed Wilfrid Blunt, Ladybirds, antiquarian, and a great selection of natural history. There will be a bookbinder and paper conservator on hand to offer advice, and photographer and author Phil Gould will talk about his book "365 Photography Days".  Add a comment

23.10.10. Alfred King is organising the first Bexley Book Fair at Hall Place on November 21st. He writes: "This new fair will be held in the Great Hall of this fine Tudor mansion. A wide selection of dealers will offer an outstanding range of antiquarian, secondhand and out of print books, plus ephemera, maps and postcards."  Add a comment

18.10.10. If you are already in the trade, an existing collector, or simply curious about old, antiquarian, collectable books, maps and ephemera, then the Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair at the Chelsea Old Town Hall on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th November is not to be missed.
    There are 78 exhibitors this year and the beautiful Chelsea Old Town Hall will be filled with interesting and collectable items from 16th to 21st centuries and books to suit all pockets – from £10 to £10,000 ... more  Add a comment

15.10.10. The Horndean Book Fair at Merchistoun Hall this Sunday has author Michael Arnold coming along. Michael's debut novel "Traitor's Blood", which is set in the English Civil War, has already caused a stir, with a hero set to rival Sharpe! There will be free antiquarian map and book valuations on the day. And, as always books for both the light reader and serious collector.  Add a comment

11.10.10. Tony Mulholland writes: The Folkestone Book, Paper & Print Fair on October 23rd brings together some the UK's top book, ephemera and postcard dealers under the PBFA banner for the first time. The Grand is an imposing venue for this exciting new fair, the biggest PBFA event in the South East outside of London.  Add a comment

06.10.10. I'm my haste to catch up after nearly a week without internet access, I put the wrong advert up. It is Sevenoaks Book Fair on October 23rd, NOT Tunbridge Wells. Sorry for any confusion this caused.  Add a comment

04.10.10. Colin Hancock had a copy of The Historie of Cambria now called Wales, stolen last week ... more  Add a comment

04.10.10. Denny Gibson writes: "Just being looking at your website and realise that our next Fair (Bedale Book & Postcard Fair October 17th) is not listed. As all proceeds go to a local charity, we are always anxious to get as many people as possible through the doors!"  Add a comment

30.09.10. Some new faces again at Wimborne on Saturday, one of whom's "debut" stall at Lyndhurst last week apparently aroused an unseemly feeding frenzy amongst booksellers and customers! There will also be more first editions, and everything from art to Zen, so as usual, something for everyone. Add a comment

30.09.10. Sorry, we have had no internet access since Sunday so this is the first opportunity I've had to update the site. Add a comment

21.09.10. Nancy Hamilton writes: This Saturday's New Forest Book Fair has Philip Bujak, author of "Undefeated", the biography of WWI hero, Jack Sherwood Kelly VC along. There are interesting 1sts, including early Iris Murdoch, a good selection of older material, and everything from paperbacks to specialist interest. Some new sellers joining the regulars, and some old faces returning from semi-retirement!  Add a comment

20.09.10. The NSPCC are holding their 21st Annual Book Sale at Holmwood House School on October 30th & 31st. Expect donated new and used fiction non-fiction and childrens books,jigsaw puzzles CDs and DVDs.  Add a comment

18.09.10. Kelvin Hearn of Newlyn Books in Penzance points out that the organisers of the Morrab Library Book & Postcard Fair had forgotten to send us details of this year's event on September 25th. He writes that it is the "biggest fair in Cornwall by long way, post card section ... over 600 attended last year and more important raises a large amount of money to keep one of the few remaining subscription libraries in the country from closure!"  Add a comment

03.09.10. I'm about to take a belated summer holiday and will be out of the office from September 4th - 19th, so no further news or updates until September 20th.  Add a comment

03.09.10. If you are in the area tomorrow, free antiquarian book valuations are being offered at Wimbourne Book Fair, alongside books for everyone from the light reader to the collector.  Add a comment

31.08.10. Cymdeithas Bob Owen - the Society for Book Lovers and Collectors in Wales is holding its long-established fair (Bala and Aberystwyth) in a new venue this year. The Book and Collectables Fair will be held in Porthaethwy (Menai Bridge) on September 25th, when they will be offering all things Welsh. There are some tables still available for hire at fifteen quid a pop.  Add a comment

26.08.10. A reminder that there is NO New Forest Book Fair this Saturday, but it will return on September 25th.  Add a comment

24.08.10. St James Church in Baldersby St James are holding this year's Secondhand Book Sale on September 11th & 12th. Expect a wide range of reference, novels, travel and children's books.  Add a comment

18.08.10. Joanna Chambers of Broadleaf Books thinks Abergavenny's Angel Hotel would make a great location for a book fair. Anyone interested should contact her on 01873 857127.  Add a comment

15.08.10. St. Martin's Church in Heaton, near Bradford, is holding a Charity Book Sale on September 18th. Expect all sorts of secondhand books as well as some art work.  Add a comment

07.08.10. The August 14th Bell Street Book Fair in Shaftesbury has been cancelled because of hall refurbishment. The organiser has been assured it will be ready for the September 11th event. Dorset and Hampshire regulars are reminded that the Wimborne Book Fair is on Saturday September 4th.  Add a comment

03.08.10.Nancy Hamilton has just remembered to confirm with us the date of Havant Book Fair, which this year will be held on August 29th.  Add a comment

03.08.10. The first Winchelsea Book Sale will be held over the weekend of September 17th & 18th. Held for the benefit of local charities, the organisers say they will offer some 5,000 good quality second hand books, classified by subject, and at competitive prices. Dealers welcome.  Add a comment

26.07.10. Miles Costello writes: 'The Petworth Society has for the last ten years held a monthly book sale in Petworth, West Sussex. The sales contain thousands of secondhand books with 99% of them priced at just 50p. Of course there are some special books that may be of interest to the collector and these are individually priced. Thousands of new books arrive each month and it is an aim of the organisers to put out a completely new stock for each sale.
    Petworth is in the heart of the beautiful South Downs national park and is famous for its antique shops and the magnificent National Trust owned Petworth House with its huge Capability Brown designed park.'  Add a comment

20.07.10. An Ilkley bookseller is exhibiting original 1861 plans for railway lines to connect Ilkley to the national rail network – plans which changed life in Wharfedale forever ... more  Add a comment

19.07.10. Gavin Richardson writes of the Kingston Lacy PBFA book fair: 'Lovely setting in a marquee within the grounds - free admission which to my mind was just as well as OXFAM usually has a more interesting selection at a fraction of the price!' You must know some very good Oxfam's, Gavin ... do tell.  Add a comment

09.07.10. I'm out of the office for most of next week, so don't expect to see any news or updates until 19.07.10.  Add a comment

04.07.10. Roger Tregown has added the PBFA Macclesfield Book Fair on August 28th. Newly resurrected after a gap of 22 years, it's being held in the curiously (but perhaps appropriately) named Senior Citizens Hall.  Add a comment

27.06.10. No fair's news today ... but If you're interested in what's new in the broader world of old books and book collecting, you might like to look at Shelf:Life, the book news blog I've been churning out since 2004.  Add a comment

22.06.10. David Mann writes: 'Hi, everyone just heard that there are major building works at the Wolfson Hall which will not be completed by the 3rd July, so with regret I am postponing the Wye Summer Book Fair to the 4th of September'.  Add a comment

24.06.10. Nancy Hamilton says that the New Forest Book Fair this Saturday promises more new faces, and some interesting first edition literature to add to the usual non-fiction, special interest and antiquarian books.  Add a comment

15.06.10. This year Don Male's Large Second Hand Book Sale will be held in Lichfield on August 13th & 14th.  Add a comment

14.06.10. The Methodist Church in Penarth are holding their 1st Annual Book Sale on Saturday june 19th. The organisers say that their will be over 2000 quality secondhand books for sale including a selection of antiquarian and collectible. Admission is 50p.  Add a comment

10.06.10. The Ephemera Society Fair in London on June 13th atracts international exhibitors from as far away as the USA. Some 75 tables will offer a vast range of printed material, priced from £2 to £3000.  Add a comment

08.06.10. I've just added the Scottish Ornithologists' Club Book Fair, which will be held at their centre at Waterston House, Aberlady. This year's two day event will be held over the weekend of July 31st - August 1st, and as well as members secondhand natural history and ornithology books there will be guest dealers, including Jay Books and Shearwater.  Add a comment

04.06.10. The daily diaries of Britain’s last official hangman, Albert Pierrepoint, will be offered by Jarndyce Antiquarian Booksellers at the ABA book fair this weekend ... more  Add a comment

04.06.10. Another very late entry for the Church Stretton Book Fair, which is TOMORROW. However, if you miss this one, Judith Goodman is holding another on October 30th.  Add a comment

02.06.10. A very late mention for a charity book sale at Cooke Church Halls, Park Road, Belfast, on 5th June They have a wide selection of second hand books, some Irish and first editions, open 10.00 - 4.00.  Add a comment

27.05.10. The traditional London book fair week kicks off on Sunday May 30th with HD Bloomsbury, and the first of the PBFA's Summer International fairs. Midweek, it's the Book Fair at the Hand & Flower, in Hammersmith Road. The 53rd ABA Antiquarian Book Fair starts a three-day run on Friday, as does the PBFA two day event at Novotel. The week is brought to a conclusion with the London Map Fair at the Royal Geographic Society.
    However, if you can't make it to London, there are still lots of opportunities to buy good books at the sixteen regional book fairs being held over the next two weekends.  Add a comment

24.05.10. Nancy Hamilton says that this month's New Forest Book Fair has local author Georgina Babey signing her latest book. There will also be some early Samuel Beckett firsts, a great selection of Ladybird Books for the collector, and the usual antiquarian books and collectables.  Add a comment

18.05.10. The next Wye Book Fair will be held on July 3rd, and J Books are holding their first Nottinghamshire Book Fair at the Farndon Memorial Hall on Sunday 10th October. Add a comment

13.05.10. Phillipa London writes: I’m contacting you from Whiteleys – a shopping centre in Bayswater London W2 – in regards to the possibility of hosting a book fair. In the recession we lost Books Etc which was the only book shop within a 2 mile radius and served a large community. We are as yet to find a replacement so I am very interested in bringing some form of book store back to Whiteleys. If you are interested, please contact Phillipa on 0207 467 0055 or 07812 606 305. Add a comment

11.05.10. There will be a Grand Book Sale in support of Christian Aid in St John's Wood, London on May 15th. Add a comment

10.05.10. I've just added the Observer, Warne & related Collectors Book Fairs for this year, the first of which is on May 22nd in Kettering. It's interesting to note that the length of the fairs names are in inverse proportion to their opening times - 10.00 - 12.30 :)  Add a comment

06.05.10. Americana Exchange held a poll suggesting that US book fairs offered customers 20% off the most recent online prices ... more  Add a comment

04.05.10. It was Steve Liddle's first year as joint manager of the Bath Book Fair, and he reports that the £101,000 take was an improvement on last year. Next year's fair will probably move to the autumn to fit in with the PBFA's desire to space out the 'better' fairs throughout the year. It's also likely to be held on Saturday and Sunday to widen the fair's appeal to the general public. However, Steve says that they wont be repeating the £2.00 books, which I've heard caused a certain amount of consternation ...  Add a comment

27.04.10. The Friends of Morston Church in Norfolk are holding a Grand Charity Book Sale on May 1st. It's described as having t'housands of books ranging from holiday fiction to collectors' items. All subjects (including a large military collection) with prices from pennies to hundreds of pounds.  Add a comment

24.04.10. Chris Missing of Missing Book Fairs has taken over as organiser of the long-established Long Melford Book Fair. The fair has been held at the same venue for over 30 years, has room for 28 exhibitors and is fully booked for the rest of the year. Chris puts its success down to "an excellent mix of dealers offering books for nearly all tastes at a variety of prices."  Add a comment

22.04.10. Richard Frost writes: Please note that there is no book fair taking place in Berkhamsted on May 1st, the next fair is on Saturday June 5th.  Add a comment

20.04.10.The New Forest Book Fair on Saturday April 24th will have about twenty sellers, including a return visit from a Jersey seller, and new faces from Warwickshire and East Sussex. Along with the map man and the regulars from Hampshire, Devon, Dorset and London and West Sussex, it should make for a great selection of books - for both the collector and reader. And, of course, admission is free.  Add a comment

19.04.10. April 23rd sees the return of the PBFA Bath Book Fair. The annual event brings nearly one hundred established booksellers to Bath with a wonderful range of high quality secondhand and antiquarian books. And while there are the justifiably expensive books, there are always those to be found at moderate prices.  Add a comment

19.04.10. Valerie Jackson-Harris, Chairman of the Ephemera Society has emailed to say that all their London events will now be held at The Holiday Inn London Bloomsbury. I've also listed their only regional event, which will be held on September 19th at The National Motorcycle Museum, in the West Midlands.  Add a comment

12.04.10. Along with the usual broad range of books, Callington Book Fair on May 29th will offer expert valuations, and E V Thompson will be there to sell and sign his books.  Add a comment

07.04.10. This year's first Clapham Village Book Fair will be a two day event held on May 2nd and 3rd.  Add a comment

06.04.10. This year the ever popular Edinburgh Christian Aid Book Sale has added an extra day, and will run from Saturday May 8th to Friday the 14th, with late opening until 7.00 pm on Thursday 13th. As usual the sale will feature books, pictures, printed ephemera, sheet music, stamps and postcards. I will post more details as they become available.  Add a comment

02.04.10. Andrew weeks emailed last night: 'Sorry this is so late in the day, and hope you can accommodate asap. We did not realise when booking the (Mid Sussex) fair on 4th April that it was Easter Sunday and have CANCELLED.' He stressed that the September and December dates were unaffected.  Add a comment

29.03.10. Described as: '... a cacophony of stalls manned by booksellers, zine writers and literary enthusiasts and an afternoon of word-based entertainment, Black Books is a revival and a celebration of the multiplicity's of language and printed word. Stalls will include new and secondhand books, zines, rare books & antiquities, comic books, magazines, papers and children’s literature.' The Black Books market in Belfast will be held on April 18th and then the third Sunday in the month throughout the year.  Add a comment

25.03.10. This month's New Forest Book Fair will be offering more the usual blend of everything from paperbacks to scarce, antiquarian and collectable books. A bookbinder and conservators will be on hand offer free advice, and there will be an accompanying exhibition of material held by the Special Collections and Archives of Southampton University ... more  Add a comment

22.03.10. An acute bout of sciatica has made it all but impossible for me to work at the computer, so I'm afraid it's a very late entry for the 6th Deal book Fair on March 28th.  Add a comment

09.03.10. Royston Parish Church are holding their third Charity Book Sale over the weekend of May 15th and 16th. They hope to have a good mix of everything including the nearly new, the old and the simply quirky. Tea, coffee and delicious cakes too are also on offer.  Add a comment

05.03.10. This year's Torquay Book Fair at the Museum, will be part of the 'SLEUTHS 'English Riviera Festival of Crime and Thriller Writers, and will offer a wide choice of secondhand and collectable books with an emphasis on the crime and thriller genre.  Add a comment

01.03.10. This year there will be two book fairs at The Station in Richmond. The first on May 23rd is being run by The Station Organisers, and the second on September 26th, by Jude Haslam.  Add a comment

23.02.10. Two fairs will cover both sides of Hampshire this coming weekend. The New Forest Book Fair on February 27th will have over 20 sellers, including some new faces. And while a few of these exhibitors will be at Horndean on the following day, they will be refreshing their stock. It's worth reminding people that the Spring Horndean Book Fair (which is usually held in March) has been brought forward to February 28th this year. Dealers at the fair will be offering lots of interesting items, including material on early ballooning, aviation and natural history. There will also be a postcard dealer along with the regular map specialist, and people are welcome to take items along for advice.  Add a comment

22.02.10. A corrupted hard drive and photographing hundreds of film posters has kept me more than usually busy -- but normal service should return this week.  Add a comment

11.02.10. Bridget Scurfield has confirmed that this year's White Lodge Book Fair will be held on March 20th.  Add a comment

09.02.10. Doncaster Central Library are holding a Library Book Sale on Saturday March 27th. This will include both reference and antiquarian titles, as well as a large selection of railway books. And Fiona Edwards is organising a book fair in Mansfield on September 19th.  Add a comment

04.02.10. A rather late entry for David Mann's Wye Book Fair, in Kent on the 6th. He told me that he intends to hold four fairs this year as usual, but due to a change of management at the venue these dates will have to be confirmed nearer the time.   Add a comment

27.01.10. Despite my periodic comments here about the lack of book fair reviews, I've as yet to receive any this year. The contrast with the number of bookshop reviews received couldn't be more stark -- I often struggle to keep up with them. I really do find it surprising that, as book fairs face the same economic realities as bookshops, more visitors and customers don't want to express their support by recommending them to others.  Add a comment

20.01.10. Namcy Hamilton writes: 'The New Forest Book Fair will be held on Saturday January 30th, (as throughout 2010, the last Saturday of every month). So, just to reassure booklovers who heard that the Community Centre was closed for all of January after the 3rd for further refurbishment. The event will either be in the main hall as usual, or in the adjacent halls next to the main entrance on the car park entrance. As always, free admission, open 10.00 till 4.00.  Add a comment

13.01.10. The Winchester Book Fair which was to be held on January 9th has been rescheduled for January 23rd.  Add a comment

11.01.10. On January 21st Amnesty International is holding this year's first Big Booksale in London, where they will be selling a wide range of good quality secondhand books. If you can't make this date, look out on here for information about the next one: they are very popular and are held roughly every six weeks.  Add a comment

08.01.10. Tomorrow's PBFA York Book Fair, and Lewes Book Fair have been cancelled due to the bad weather. Given the weather, I would strongly advise contacting the organisers before traveling to any fair this weekend.  Add a comment

08.01.10. Nancy Hamilton says that she's a little concerned about making it to Shaftesbury's Bell Street Book Fair tomorrow, and would like to ask those who attend to ring her before traveling. She and the other exhibitors will try to get there, as there is always strong local support, but obviously the smaller roads are pretty treacherous for sellers and the customers from further afield. Add a comment

05.01.10. Just added: the Abington Antique, Book & Collector's Fair dates, and Steve Tanti's new Hampshire (Hedge End) Book Fair.  Add a comment

04.01.10. The PBFA York Book Fair on January 9th is the largest one-day book fair held in the UK. Over 100 booksellers from all over the country will be offering over 40,000 secondhand and antiquarian books as well as a wide selection of prints, maps and ephemera. It also offers easy access, free parking and a free shuttle bus between the Railway Station and the Racecourse.  Add a comment

01.01.10. Welcome to our 2010 Book Fair Calendar. The first news of the year is that Pauline Walker has taken over from Stewart Cowie as organiser of the long established Leeds Book Fair. The first date this year is February 7th, and to mark a successful move and the new management, the fair will be opened by Michael Meadowcroft. Michael, a former Liberal M.P, is a journalist and writer, and of course, a book lover. Add a comment

2009 Book Fair News